For Valentine’s Day

I think I’m in an abusive relationship. My gal is alternately an early
Spring or late Fall day.

Sometimes things seem to be going so badly between us it’s like I’ve been
abandoned, all alone, on the center of Mille Lacs Lake in the middle of
January. My gal will then come “pick me up”, treat me well and make me feel as if I’m riding
on top of the world – like an early Spring thaw in that otherwise bitterly cold
Minnesota winter. Of course, she’ll eventually insist on treating me like a
harsh March snowstorm; letting me know that she’s still in charge and, like the
groundhog who never sees his shadow, summer will still be a long while in
arriving.

Other times, things are going great between us, but now it’s like late
Fall. I just know “winter” is coming and she never fails to let me know that
life’s warm victories are easily replaced by frosty nights.

It’s like I can’t win for losing with her. I don’t know if it’s bi-polar
disorder, wanton cruelty or something else. All I do know is that she’ll
invariably rotate from treating me like a King to treating me like a pauper –
moving from giving me what I want and need to taunting me and denying me
everything.

I think I’m in an abusive relationship, and, my girl’s name is “Variance”.